System Leaders Minutes 01/19/11

Items that apply to all systems
and
Items that apply primarily to one system

Items that apply to all systems (not in priority
order—all are essential)

Item/Action

Comments during review
discussion

1. System Leaders need to prepare
everything extensively and in detail well before the system
begins. The density of the workload cannot be understood
beforehand—it must be experienced to be believed.

2. System Leaders need to prepare
everything extensively and in detail well before the system
begins. The density and pace of the workload cannot be
understood beforehand—it must be experienced to be believed.

MCM and Microbes leaders emphasized the heavy load during the weeks
of the system.

3. Clear, well-written, precise
learning objectives are essential for every point to be taught/learned
in the system. The LOs must be crafted long beforehand because
all assignments, classroom activities, and assessments flow from
them. Everything that occurs in system must be directed by
correct, appropriate LOs.

Several faculty expressed concern that students are “studying to the
LOs” as their sole goal; they emphasized the need to persuade students
that the LOs are “minimum threshold” learning.

4. Successful “engagement
activities” are those based on small-group work on a task (e.g.,
solving a problem, discussing a complex issue, applying principles)
rather than those that deal with learning or merely recalling
facts.

Note: TBL is a
specific format for engagement activity and the process should be
followed carefully.

Several faculty noted that these features are most successful:

started with 10-15 min lecture

students talk with each other

not allow too much discussion time for each item (tendency is to
allow too long)

think-pair-share

cases/vignettes

groups of six

5. Students should be informed about any
SOM resources (handouts from previous years, other relevant materials)
that are available, even if the System Leaders do not consider the
resources to be well-targeted. The first-year students become
angry when they find these resources on their own (accusations of
“hiding the materials from us,” etc.).

Some faculty commented that students need to understand that they
are expected to be learners: They are here to learn, not
to be taught. Students need to believe this from Day 1.

6. The teaching technology works very well
in the Learning Studio, although much of it is used very seldom.
Faculty should observe faculty using the new equipment creatively in
the early systems.

7. Faculty in upcoming systems
should observe teaching sessions by faculty in the systems taught
before their own.

Arrangements to observe should be
made with the System Leader of the current system (to avoid
overcrowding of observers and to assure that chairs are available).

Faculty from past and current systems agreed strongly.

Many TBL and other engagement activities will be available to
observe in the coming 15 weeks (MSI and MBB).

Veronica Michaelsen is writing a rubric on TBL that faculty would
refer to as they observe TBL sessions in MSI and MBB systems.
Others could be developed on topics that faculty need.

8. Everything must be designed from the beginning to
integrate basic science and clinical science.

9. An orientation document and session should be designed to
introduce the system to the students. Expectations, procedures,
assessment schedules, assignments, and resources should be explained
clearly.

Faculty commented on how important it is to inform the students
about everything as a system begins.

10. Leaders of upcoming systems must review all learning
objectives from previous systems; it is the only way to know what the
students have covered and to what extent.

Leaders commented that this is also a way to see the difference
between well-crafted LOs and faulty LOs that create problems for
students and leaders.

11. Add TBL and other engagement session to
attract students—these are not “add-ons”;
they are the core of the curriculum.

12. Limit the number and duration of lectures:

students are not required to attend; 40% will not

students’ attention wanes after 10 min. (15 max).

students do not prepare for lectures

13. Curriculum leaders reminded that the goal is <50%
lectures (maximum upper limit); a lower proportion is the ultimate
goal.

14. Hands-on work with medical images should be planned for across
systems. MCM, Microbes, and MSI leaders noted that

students like hands-on work with images

they had several hands-on sessions in MCM

suggestion: add images to problem sets

15. Leaders of upcoming systems must fit their
curriculum to what students have already covered:

have students review former materials when needed

do not duplicate coverage unnecessarily

when covering a topic for a second time, go for more advanced
knowledge (do not spend time re-doing
basics)

16. Leaders of all systems from CV onward (Aug. 1) must
negotiate room assignments with MCM. Because the first and second
iterations of the new curriculum overlap from Aug. 2011 through Feb.
2012, systems must negotiate which sessions will be in the
Learning Studio and which in the Lecture Hall. All successive
iterations will require negotiated schedules as part of routine
planning.

Note: The schedule will be organized in 2-hour
blocks:

8:00-10:00am and 10:00-noon. Thus instructional sessions must
fit within those blocks (e.g., cannot have a session that runs
9:30-10:30 unless the class meets in the same room for the entire
morning).

17. System Leaders must plan their schedules to include

8:10am starting time

standard instructional “hour” of 50 minutes

10-min. breaks between sessions

10-min. breaks after first hour in 2-hr sessions

starting and ending on time (the recording system is organized by
scheduled times)

18. System Leaders must arrange early for teaching time
by Thread Leaders and their faculty during Aug. 1 – Feb 20, the overlap
period for the first and second iteration, when the faculty will teach
both classes.

Some Thread leaders noted that they are already committed for
periods that may be needed.

19. System Leaders should work closely with Thread Leaders,
who often know where students are learning which material throughout
the curriculum and know special resources available for their
areas.

20. Cases and vignettes in all systems should cover a range of
basic issues in

interprofessional education

ethics (all types of issues)

cultural competency

Thread Leaders in these areas (and related ones) are ready to help
work these issues into cases throughout the curriculum; they know of
existing cases and resources that can be used.

21. Faculty members need a great deal of faculty development to be
prepared to teach in the NxGen curriculum.

Systems Leaders must work with faculty to assure that they take
advantage of the available resources (faculty development sessions,
one-on-one consultation with faculty from previous systems, online
resources).

Veronica Michaelsen is writing a rubric on TBL that faculty would
refer to as they observe TBL sessions in MSI and MBB systems.
Others could be developed on topics that faculty need.

It was suggested that the weekly newsletter TICKER add links to
faculty development resources.

22. System Leaders need to develop a common threshold of consistency
across systems (organization, administration, expectations)
but also allow flexibility for faculty to try
new approaches. Examples of the necessary consistency are systems
are administered, required attendance, policies about assessments, how
materials are made available online, expectations of students behavior
(e.g., during patient interviews, during group activities).

MCM and Microbes have created successful approaches to a variety of
common situations/problems that leaders of upcoming systems should
study and adopt as appropriate.

Because of the heavy workload of running a system, leaders and
faculty need to get as much as possible ready long before the system
starts.

23. System Leaders need to meet with Educational Support to
understand what must be delivered and the applicable deadlines.
Faculty need to work with Educational Support as early as possible in
planning their sessions.

Faculty and leaders commented that there is no such thing as
completing work on sessions too early.

24. The schedule, mentor lists, and room assignments must be worked
out for the period when CPD will teach two classes of students at the
same time (beginning approx. Aug. 1). Such planning must be
the norm from now onward.